Landmark century silences Root's last remaining critics

Joe Root’s 135 not out finally ended his long wait for a ton on Australian soil, writes Cameron Ponsonby at The Gabba, and gave England a solid platform to revive their Ashes hopes

- Cameron Ponsonby

And he did it with a shrug.

It's not often you get to watch history. To see the storyline from beginning to end. It's been 12 years since Joe Root first played Test cricket in Australia. And it has been an altogether horrible experience.

Fifteen matches. Thirteen losses. Zero wins. In truth, that is the statistic that is most important to address. A century cements his individual legacy – the batter who could indeed do it everywhere – but winning in Australia is the true white whale of his and every other Englishman’s career.

Nevertheless, it was a talking point. An asterisk that was put to him and would have been held against him for years to come. Not by anyone with common sense, but by the pub bores who would stop him in the street and the Fox Sports commentators who would remind him of it every four years when he inevitably returns as a TV pundit. “Haha, you couldn’t do it here, Joe, could you?”

Joe Root’s life is easier now. And England’s is better. This was vintage Root, but not stereotypical Root. The best in the world are the best because they are able to adapt. For years, his trademark has been a flowing backfoot punch/glide on his tiptoes. It is also believed to be the cause of his downfall down under. The ball bounces more here, and so chasing width carries more risk.